Button-sewing machine.



W. A. SMITH.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE,-

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 1916.

Patented Dec. 31,1918.

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W. A. SMITH.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. I916.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

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W. A. SMITH.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 1916.

Patented-Dec. 31, 191.8.

Qw T E E H A" s T E E H s 4 W. A. SMITH.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION men APR. I2. 1916.

Patented Dec.31:1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

UNI

WILLARD A. SMITH, OF MELROSE, MASSACHUSETTS,

ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BUTTON-SEWING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Original application filed June 1, 1915, Serial No. 31,459. Divided and this application filed April 12, 1916. Serial No. 90,573.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLARD A. SMITH,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Melrose, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button-Sewing Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to button feeding mechanism, and more particularly to mechanism which is well adapted for feeding shank-eyed buttons from a hopper to sewing or other mechanisms for attaching individual buttons to shoe uppers or other material.

The object of the invention is to provide novel and improved button separating mechanism which will operate in a rapid and efficient manner to separate shank-eyed buttons of various kinds and sizes and deliver them to a button chute, to provide a novel and improved button chute which may be readily and conveniently adjusted for buttons of different sizes, and which may be readily removed and replaced as occasion requires, to provide novel and improved mechanism for controlling the supply of buttons to the chute, to provide novel and improved mechanism for feeding the individual buttons from the delivery end of the chute, and to otherwise improve and simplify the various parts of the button separating and feeding mechanism.

To these ends the invention comprises the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims, the advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from p the following detailed description of the mechanism embodying the preferred form of the invention.

The present application is a division of application Serial No. 31,459, filed June 1, 1915, for improvement in button sewing machines.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a button sewing machine embodying the various features of the invention in their preferred forms; Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking toward the left in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a detail view of the clutch for controlling the supply of buttons to the button chute; Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the button hopper; Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the lower chamber of the hopper, the base plate and the bottom plate of the button chute being removed to show the interior of the chamber; Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6-6, Fig. i; Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 77, Fig. 5; Fig.8 is a front elevation showing the lower end of the -'button chute, the button positioning plates, and the button attaching mechanism; Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9, Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a sectional detail on line 10-10, Fig. 9; Figzll is a vertical sectional view through the clutch for controlling the supply of buttons to the button chute; and Figs. 12 and 13 are details of the button chute.

In the drawings the invention is shown as embodied in a machine for sewing on buttons in which the buttons are attached by passing a primary loop of thread through the work and through the button eye, then passing a secondary loop through the work outside the button eye and through the primary loop, then passing the secondary loop over the button, and finally tightening the knot thus formed. In this machine the work is clamped during the operation of the button attaching mechanism between the under face of a fixed throat plate 2 and the upper face of a vertically reciprocating presser foot 4, the throat plate and presser foot being slotted in the line of feed in the usual manner. The button attaching mechanism comprises a vertically reciprocating and laterally movable needle 6, a looper 8 provided with oppositelyfacing fingers for taking the primary and secondary loop from the needle, a spreader 10 for spreading the secondary loop, a loop guide 12 for guiding the secondary loop down under the button shank, a cam-actuated takeup 14:, an auxiliary spring takeup 16, and a thread clamp 18.

ofthe line of feed, the positioning plates in such case being mounted on a carrier which moves transversely from the lower end of the chute into position to present the button eye in the path of the needle. The buttons are held against the positioning platesby a clamp indicated at 24.

The button chute, from the lower end of which the buttons are delivered tothe button carrier, comprises a back plate 26 for supporting the heads of ,the buttons, and two front plates 28 which are spaced to leave a shank guiding slot between them. The chute is arranged in an inclined position, so'that the butto'ns will be fed down the chute by gravity, and the front plates are so shaped that the shank guiding slot curves at the exit end of the chute topre sent the shanks of the buttons in approximately a horizontal position, and in line with the shank receiving slotbetween the positioning plates '20 and'22, when the'plates are in register with the end of the chute. The button chute is provided at its lower end with a 'ielding stop for retaining the lower most button in the chute. This stop as shown is in the form of afinger 38 pivoted to oneof the front plates, and heldgnormally in position with its free end projecting across the shank slot by a spring 4-0. The stop is thus in position to engage the shanks of the buttons, and not only actsas a stop, but also tends toswing the button heads against the positioning plates as the buttons are fed'from theend of'the chute iutoposition back of the plates. The buttons are fet or delivered from the. lower end ofthechute into position back of the positioning plates by a reciprocating feeding finger 1-2 arranged to pass through the lower end of the chute, and :to push the lowermost button past the yielding stop 38 and into position with its shank against the shank stop formed by the end of the'slot between the plates. The feeding finger, as shown, is formed on the front end of a rock shaft 44 pivoted in a feed lever 4-6, and held in normal position on the lever by a spring48. The rock shaft 4A is provided with aycollar 50 notched to embrace the lever 46 and ,to permit .the feeding finger to yield downwardly to a limited extent. By thus yield-- ingly mounting the feeding finger itis adapted to operate properlyupon buttons of various S1ZS,S1DCC if the buttons -.are of on the machine frame.

lower separating chamber such a size that the finger strikes the lower edge ofthe second button, it will yield and swing down under this button into position to act properly upon the first or lower but ton in the chute. The feed lever is retracted by a cam arranged to engage a roll on the lower end of a lever 54, the upper end of which is connected by a link 56 with the feed lever. The lever is advanced to effect the feeding of the button by a spring 58, one end of which is connected to a collar on the link 56, and the other end to a fixed point The forward movement of the feeding finger is determined by an adjustable stop screw 60 arranged to be engaged by the end of the feed lever [46.

In order thatthe chute maybe readily adjusted to position the buttons at the lower or delivery end of the chute, with the-under sides of the heads close to the front plates, and to enable the same chute to be used for delivering buttons of various sizes, an auX iliary plate 62 is provided at the lower end of the back plate, which may be adjusted toward and from the front plates in accordance with the size or shape of the buttons being operated upon. As shown, .this auxiliary plate is in the form of a springmetal strip or plate, the upper-end of which is secured in a slot or groove inthe back plate, so that this .end of theauXiliary plate is flush with and forms a continuation of the back plate, and the lower end of whichis arranged to be engaged by an adjusting screw 64 which may be readily manipulated to properly adjust-the end of the auxiliary plate which lies directly back ofthe delivery end ofthe front plates.

In order that the front plates may be readily and conveniently positioned in proper relation to the back plate, they are connected with the back plate by screw threaded studs 66 which pass through the back plate, and are provided on their lower ends with slots to enable them to be readily adjusted. The frontlplates are secured'upon the upper ends of the screw studs by screws 68 which pass through holes in the. front plates and are screwed into the upper ends of the screw studs. These screws clamp the plates to the ends of the studs, and also serve to lock the studs in adjusted. position.

Buttons are supplied to the upper end of the button chute from a hopper -70 provided with an upper chamber 72 .into which the supply ofbuttons is placed, amt-from which they pass through an opening 7% into the 76 of the hopper. The hopper chamber 76 is cylindrical, and its axis is inclined and at the plane of the back plateiiof the button chute; The lower vend wall .78 ofthe-hopper chamber-.76 is formed by an extension on the upper end of the back plate 26;; and the cylindrical part of the hopper is remov- 1 right angles a to ably secured to this plate by clamping screws 80.passing through lugs on the plate 78 and engaging the walls of the hopper.

The hopper chamber 7 6 is provided along the lower side of its end wall with a button head receiving groove 82, the lower side of which is formed by the upper surface of the end wall and the upper side of which is formed by the lower surface of a segmental ring 84 secured along the inner surface of the cylindrical wall of the hopper. The inner surface of the ring 84 forms a ledge directly above the head receiving groove 82 for engaging and supporting the shanks of the buttons, the heads of which enter the groove. The shank supporting ledge is notched to form retainingteeth for engaging the shanks and retainmg the buttons in position on the ledge as they are moved upward toward the delivery end of the ledge and slot. The teeth are preferably of varying lengths, as indicated in Fig. 5, although this is not essential. The upper end of the button slot and shank retaining ledge regisfor with a button exit opening 86 in the cylindrical wall of the hopper. A shank guiding finger 88 projects from the inner wall of the hopper and parallel with the upper end of the shank ledge, so that it forms with the upper end of the ledge a shank guiding slot for directing the buttons through the exhaust opening in the wall of the hopper. The shank guiding slot between the finger 88 and the upper end of the shank guiding ledge registers with or forms a continuation of the shank guiding slot between the front plates of the button chute, so that the buttons which are carried by the shank guiding and retaining ledge pass from the hopper into the upper end of the chute, as indicated in Fig. 6. The means shown for moving or feeding the buttons upward along the ledge 84 consist of an. oscillating disk 90 provided with a series of brushes 92 arranged to sweep along the button receiving slot and ledge and sweep the buttons which enter the groove up along the ledge, the teeth in the ledge preventing the return of the buttons when the brushes travel in the opposite direction. The disk 90 is secured upon. a short shaft 94 mounted in the hop per and projecting through a hole in the plate 78. The upper end of the shaft also carries a button agitator 96 for acting upon the buttons in the receiving chamber 72. The lower end of the shaft 94 is provided with a slot adapted to receive a tongue on the upper end of a shaft 98 which is journaled in a bracket 100 on the machine frame.

The slot and tongue form a readily detachable coupling for connecting the shafts 94 and 98. The means for oscillating the shaft 98 and connected brush disk comprises a. crank 102 secured to the end of a shaft 104 and connected by a link 106 with an arm 108 secured to one end of a rock shaft 110, the other end of which is connected with the shaft 98 by beveled segments 112. The shaft 104 is driven through a pulley 114 mounted on the end of the shaft, and con nected by a belt 116 with a pulley 118 formed on the hub of a loose pulley 120 forming a part of the driving mechanism of the machine.

It is desirable that the means for supplying the buttons to the button chute should not operate to rub and agitate the buttons when the chute is full, or when a supply of additional buttons to the chute is unneces sary. Means is accordingly provided for controlling the operation of the button supplying means from the buttons in the chute. In the construction shown this means coinprises a clutch mechanism interposed be tween the pulley 114 and the shaft 104 which is controlled from the buttons in the chute, and operates to automatically connect and disconnect the pulley and shaft in accordance with the supply of buttons in the chute.

As shown, the pulley 114 is loosely mounted on the end of the shaft, and is provided with a flange 122 surrounding a collar 124 secured to the shaft. The collar 124 is provided with a flattened surface 126, and a roll 128 is interposed between this surface and the inner surface of the flange 122 to form a Horton clutch for connecting and disconnecting the pulley and shaft, (Figs. 3 and 11). The roll is held between the fingers 130 of the controller collar 132 which is provided with the usual projecting stop lug 134, and is connected with the collar 124 by a spring 136. The means for arresting and releasing the controlling collar 132 comprises a lever 138 carrying a plate 140 which is connected with the lever by a pin and slot connection 142, and is held yieldingly in the position indicated in Fig. 11 by a wire spring 144.

The position of the lever 138 and plate 140 in or out of the path of the lug 134 on the controlling collar is controlled by a feeler finger 146 pivoted. at148 on the bracket 100 and having its free end arranged to play through an opening in the back plate 26 of the feed chute. so that it will engage the buttons in the chute in case they cover the open ing in the back plate. The feeling linger forms one arm of a bell crank lever. the other arm 150 of which is connected by a link 152 with an arm 154 secured to the rock shaft 156 which carries the arm 188. A spring 158 is connected to the link 152, and tends to project the feeler finger through the opening in the back plate. and to raise the arm 138 and plate 140 carried thereby out of the path of the lug 134 on the clutch controller collar. The arm 138 is depressed. and the feeler finger withdrawn from the button chute. by a cam 160 formed on the pulley 114 and engaging a roll on the end of the arm. If the buttons in the button chute do not overlie the end of the feeler finger, the cam 160'and spring 158 will depress and retract the arm 138 during each revolution of the pulley 114i, and the clutch will continue to connect the pulley and shaft 10 1- so that buttons will be supplied to the button chute from the hopper. When the supply of buttons in the button chute is sutlicient to cover the opening in the back plate through which the feelcr finger plays, the buttons will prevent the retraction of the arm 138 after it has been depressed by the cam 160, and the plate 140 on the arm will engage the lug 134: and thus disengage the clutch and arrest the rotation of the shaft 10% and the operation of the button supplying mechanism in the hopper. Whenever the supply of buttons in the button chute is so far exhausted that the opening through which the feeler finger plays is uncovered, the arm 138 will be again retracted and will release the clutch controlling collar, thus again starting the operation of the button supplying mechanism in the hopper. Should the lug 13 1 underlie the plate 140 when the arm 138 is depressed by the cam 160, the plate will yield until the lug has passed, and then will return to position to engage the lug and stop the controller collar. The mechanism for delivering buttons from the hopper to the button chute is thus automatically controlled by the buttons in the button chute.

In order that the button chute and hopper may be readily removed and replaced, as occasion requires, the back plate 26 and its extension 78, which form the base plate for the chute and hopper, are connected with the supporting bracket 100 and a supporting bracket 162 near the lower end of the chute, by readily detachable, connections. In the construction shown, the back plate 26 is provided near its lower end with a pin 16 larranged to engage a hole in the bracket 162, and the plate 78 is provided with a pin 166 adapted to pass through a hole in one arm of the bracket 100. The lower end. of the pin 166 is provided. with a transverse groove adapted to be engaged by a wedge-shaped locking plate 168 formed on a pivoted arm 170. The arm. 170 may be readily swung about its pivot to release the pin 166, and thus allow the hopper and chute to be removed. i Vhen the hopper and chute are replaced in position, the locking plate may be engaged with the pin 166 to firmly lock the chute and hopper in position.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, it will be understood that this construction and arrangement is not essential to the broader features of the invention, and may be varied and modified as found desirable or best suited to theconstruction and arrangement. of the parts-of the machine in which any of such features are to be embodied.

Having explained the nature and object of the invention, and specifically described one form of machine in which it may be embodied, what is claimed is i 1. A. button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute having a shank guiding slot, a feeding finger arranged to reciprocate through the delivery end of the chute to remove the end button and mounted to yield vertically to free itself from the second button in the chute.

2. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute having a shank guidin slot, an oscillating arm, a feeding finger pivoted on the arm and arranged to pass through the lower end of the cl1ute,a spring for supporting the finger, and stops for limiting its vertical movement.

3. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute having a shank guiding slot curved at the lower end to deliver the buttons. with the shanks approximately horizontal, a button positioning plate on to which the buttons are delivered, and a horizontally reciprocating feeding finger for delivering the buttons from the chute on to the plate mounted to yield vertically to free itself from'the second button in the chute.

' 'r. A buttonsewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute comprising back and front plates, a yielding stop at the delivery end of the chute arranged to engage the button shank, and a feeding finger acting on the'button at the delivery end of the chute to push it past the stop.

AT button sewing machine, having, in 1 combination, a button chute comprising back and front plates, a feeding finger at the exit end of the chute, and a yielding stop arranged to drag on the button shank and swing the head of the button against the front plates.

6. A but-ton sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute comprising a back plate, front plates spaced to form a shank guiding slot between them which curves at the eXit end represent the button shanks approximately horizontally, a feeding finger, and a yielding stop at the delivery end of the chute arranged to act on the shanks of the buttons.

7. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute comprising a back plate and front plates spaced to form a shank guiding slot between them, a reciproeating fee ing finger arranged to engage the head of the end button in the chute, and a .vieldin stoo finger proiecting across the 1 k) e1 lv d,

shank guiding slot at the delivery end of the chute.

8. A button sewing machine, havlng, in

combination, a button chute comprising a back plate and front plates spaced to form a shank guiding slot between them, a reciproeating feeding linger, a positioning plate on to which the feeding finger pushes the button, and a yielding stop arranged to drag on the shank as the buttons are pushed on to the positioning plate.

9. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute comprising a head supporting back plate, shank guiding front plates and an auxiliary plate at the delivery end of the back plate for supporting the button heads, and means for adjusting the auxiliary plate toward and away from the front plates.

10. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute comprising a head supporting back plate, shank guiding trout plates and an auxiliary spring plate at the delivery end of the chute, and an adjusting screw for adjusting the lower end of the auxiliary plate.

11.A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute comprising a back plate, spacing screw studs passing through the back plate, a front plate and screws securing the -front plate on the ends of the spacing studs.

12. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, button attaching mechanism, a base plate, a button chute and a hopper on the base plate, a supporting bracket near the lower end of the base plate provided with a hole, a supporting bracket for the upper end of the base plate provided with a hole, and pins on the base plate for engaging the holes.

13. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, button attaching mechanism, a base plate, a button chute and hopper on the base plate, a supporting bracket near the lower end of the base plate provided with a hole, a supporting bracket for the upper end of the base plate provided with a hole, pins on the base plate for engaging the holes, and a movable locking plate on the upper bracket engaging aslot in one of the pins.

14. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, button attaching mechanism, a base plate, a hopper on the base plate, a haft mounted in the base plate, a driving shaft mounted in fixed bearings, a detachable coupling between the shafts, a button chute on the base plate, and devices for detachably securing the base plate in position for the delivery of buttons to the button attaching mechanism.

15. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute, mechanism for supplying buttons to the chute, and devices Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. G.

for controlling the operation oi the button supplying mechanism from the buttons in the chute.

16. A button ewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute, mechanism for supplying buttons to the chute, a color finger engaging the buttons in the chute, and connections for controlling the button supplying means from the feeler.

17. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a button chute, a hopper, mechanism within the hopper for separating the buttons and delivering them to the chute, actuating means therefor, and means for controlling the actuating means from the buttons in the chute.

18. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a hopper, a button head receiv ing groove within the hopper, a shank ledge at one side of the groove provided with shank retaining teeth, a button exit at the upper end of the groove and ledge, and means for causing the buttons in the hopper to move up the groove and ledge.

19. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, a hopper, a button head receiving groove within the hopper, a shank ledge at one side of the groove provided with shank retaining teeth, a button exit at the upper end of the groove and ledge, and a brush for sweeping the buttons in the hopper up the groove and ledge.

20. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, an inclined cylindrical hopper, a button head receiving groove along the lower end wall of the hopper, a shank ledge along the side or" the groove provided with shank retaining teeth, a button exit at the upper end of the groove and lodge, and means for causing the buttons in the hopper to move up the groove and ledge.

21. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, an inclined cylindrical hopper, a button head receiving groove along the lower wall of the hopper, a shank ledge along the side of the groove provided with shank retaining teeth, a button exit at the upper end of the groove and ledge and a brush for sweeping the buttons in the hopper up the groove and ledge.

22. A button sewing machine, having, in combination, an inclined cylindrical hopper, a button head receiving groove along the lower end wall of the hopper, a shank ledge along the side of the groove provided with shank retaining teeth, a button exit at the upper end of the groove and ledge, and a shank guide overlaying the ledge for directing the buttons through the exit.

WILLARD A. SMITH.

Commissioner of Patents, 

